Exodus 12:13-14 “The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Israel. This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.”

The children of Israel had been waiting for the salvation of the Lord for over 400 years. Pharaoh had done everything he could to keep from having to give up the Hebrew slaves he had used to build his cities and monuments. He had allowed his subjects to endure nine plagues, sent by God, which devastated both the land and the people of Egypt. Now, Moses has brought a sentence of death upon the firstborn of the houses of Egypt if Pharaoh refused again. The Lord prepared his people, intending to spare them when the Angel of Death passed through the lands of Egypt. A blood sacrifice was necessary to cause the “death sentence” to “pass over” the children of Israel. The Lord required the children of Israel to never forget this event and declared that the feast of Passover be held each year at the same time to commemorate the deliverance of God’s people. It would be important that the Jewish people never forget the unblemished lamb whose blood saved them. Understanding and remembering this Passover would help them understand when, in the fullness of time, the true Passover lamb would come whose blood would save all mankind.

Pray: “Heavenly Father, you used the blood of the lamb to save your children Israel from the death sentence handed down upon Egypt. You told them to never forget the significance of this sacrifice. You knew the day would come when we would need to understand the significance of the Passover in regards to our own salvation.” Lord, without the sacrifice of the blood, our death sentence will one day be carried out. Help me to never forget…in Jesus’ holy name I pray – Amen.